Iconic 12,000-seater EFL stadium with ‘a pub on every corner’ now derelict and unrecognisable
Brentford fans have had to stage a longer goodbye than many had first imagined. In September 2020 the Bees officially said goodbye to their home of 116 years, Griffin Park, as it was closed following a Championship play-off semi-final win over Swansea. Griffin Park underwent demolition work in 2020Getty New images show that little has changedCOPA90 Demolition work started soon after, yet new images from COPA90 show that things haven’t progressed much since. Shots from a hole in a fence next to the ground show one stand still up, while the rest of the old stadium looks like a derelict building site. Griffin Park, which is best known among EFL fans for having ‘a pub on every corner’ was transferred to developers EcoWorld London in 2020, but little has changed since early demolition. In November 2024, The Sun claimed that EcoWorld were still chasing planning permission for their plans to develop 149 new homes in west London. It was claimed that 41 of those would be new houses, with the rest apartment blocks, while 1,770 square meters of public green space would also be produced. That would be a stark transformation from its original use as an orchard. The ground was initially owned by the Fuller, Smith and Turner brewery in 1904 and Brentford leased it to start playing games that year. Its standing capacity reached 38,00 while it survived World War II bombing and a fire to take the team to the top flight in the 1930s. Yet Griffin Park narrowly missed out on Brentford’s glorious return to the top of the football pyramid, as it was with their new home that they first competed in the Premier League. Thomas Frank’s side moved into the Gtech Community Stadium in the summer of 2020, and avoided the play-off final heartbreak of the previous season by downing Swansea at Wembley. The Gtech has been part of Brentford’s path to the topGetty But parts of Griffin Park remain as a reminder of how they got thereGetty Brentford have remained in the top flight ever since, finishing as high as ninth during the 2022/23 season. The 17,250 seater Gtech is now a Premier League regular, and has also hosted the Women’s European Championship in 2022. Fans still look back fondly on Griffin Park, though, particularly as they were never able to properly say goodbye. The stadium was closed during the height of the COVID pandemic, pre-vaccinces in the summer of 2020. That means one of world football’s oldest stadiums never got a thank you, but locals can clearly still pop along for a spot of nostalgia.
Brentford fans have had to stage a longer goodbye than many had first imagined.
In September 2020 the Bees officially said goodbye to their home of 116 years, Griffin Park, as it was closed following a Championship play-off semi-final win over Swansea.
Demolition work started soon after, yet new images from COPA90 show that things haven’t progressed much since.
Shots from a hole in a fence next to the ground show one stand still up, while the rest of the old stadium looks like a derelict building site.
Griffin Park, which is best known among EFL fans for having ‘a pub on every corner’ was transferred to developers EcoWorld London in 2020, but little has changed since early demolition.
In November 2024, The Sun claimed that EcoWorld were still chasing planning permission for their plans to develop 149 new homes in west London.
It was claimed that 41 of those would be new houses, with the rest apartment blocks, while 1,770 square meters of public green space would also be produced.
That would be a stark transformation from its original use as an orchard.
The ground was initially owned by the Fuller, Smith and Turner brewery in 1904 and Brentford leased it to start playing games that year.
Its standing capacity reached 38,00 while it survived World War II bombing and a fire to take the team to the top flight in the 1930s.
Yet Griffin Park narrowly missed out on Brentford’s glorious return to the top of the football pyramid, as it was with their new home that they first competed in the Premier League.
Thomas Frank’s side moved into the Gtech Community Stadium in the summer of 2020, and avoided the play-off final heartbreak of the previous season by downing Swansea at Wembley.
Brentford have remained in the top flight ever since, finishing as high as ninth during the 2022/23 season.
The 17,250 seater Gtech is now a Premier League regular, and has also hosted the Women’s European Championship in 2022.
Fans still look back fondly on Griffin Park, though, particularly as they were never able to properly say goodbye.
The stadium was closed during the height of the COVID pandemic, pre-vaccinces in the summer of 2020.
That means one of world football’s oldest stadiums never got a thank you, but locals can clearly still pop along for a spot of nostalgia.
